6200 people enjoyed music and dancing by over 900 performers at Soka University’s 10th Annual International Festival on Saturday, May 7th.
Soka’s International Festival was part of the Orange County Imagination Celebration presented in cooperation with Arts Orange County and the Orange County Department of Education.
The International Festival featured a wide array of international food, art, ceramic demonstrations and sale, 240 non-profit and
business exhibitors, children’s games, crafts and inflatable rides.
Performing groups at the 2011 International Festival included:
• Aliso Niguel High School Dance Team
• Aliso Niguel High School Men’s Choir/Bella Cantore Choir
• Anjum of the Dancing Belly
• Bolivia International Dance Group
• The California Conservatory of Dance Ensemble Dancers
• Claddagh School of Irish Dance
• Counter Balance of SUA
• DrumXCorps of SUA
• Eishinkan Aikido Dojo Martial Arts
• Fujima Kansei Odori Kai
• Ghungroo of SUA (Dances of India)
• Grupo Folklorico Los Sonadores
• Hip Hop Congress of SUA
• Huntington Beach Adult School Senior “Celebration”
• J.J. & the Habibis Laguna Beach Belly Dancers
• Josho Daiko of SUA (Taiko Drums)
• Ka Pilina Ho’olokahi of SUA
• Keep Soul of SUA
• LA Bunka-Kai (Japanese Dance)
• Laguna Woods Village Symphony and members of Saddleback College Emeritus Symphony Orchestra
• Lee’s Tae Kwon Do Foothill Ranch
• Llajtamasis from Bolivia
• Mei-Ling Lee Chinese Dance Group
• Naoki Atkins
• OCDC Chinese Dancing Group
• The Pin Peat Ensemble of the Spirit of Khmer Angkor
• Rhythm & Bangra of SUA
• Rhythmission of SUA (Hip Hop)
• San Diego SGI Jazz Band
• Sarah al Nour
• Scandia Dancers of Southern California
• SGI-USA Myo’On Taiko
• SGI-USA Pearl Chorus
• Soka Cheerleading Club
• Son Merekumbe
• Soul Wings of SUA (Choir)
• Spirit Soul and Friends
• Sualseros of SUA (Salsa)
• Susana Elena Classical Spanish & Flamenco Dance
• Temple Bhajan Band
• Tupua
• US Blackbelt Academy
• V and T Dance
• Vita Leonis Philharmonic Orchestra of SUA
Next year’s International Festival will take place on May 5, 2012. Online exhibitor registration is open at www.soka.edu/festival.
Soka University’s 2011 Commencement to be Streamed
Soka University will be video streaming its Class of 2011 Commencement from www.soka.edu on Friday, May 27, 2011 at 1:55 pm.
About 40% of SUA’s students come from other countries (more than 40 countries to date,) so this first-time streaming will enable families all over the world to share in the joy of the graduation ceremony.
As SUA graduates its 7th undergraduate class, it will also be dedicating the new 1000-seat Soka Performing Arts Center as part of its 10th Anniversary celebration. The graduation exercises will be the first official event in the new hall that features acoustics designed by Yasuhisa Toyota of Nagata Acoustics, who also designed acoustics for Disney Hall.
Admission for the ceremony and campus is by ticket only on May 27th.
The 103-acre Soka University campus is located at 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo. Tours are available M-Sat at 10 am and 2 pm
with reservations at www.soka.edu/tours. For a map and directions, see www.soka.edu/directions .
Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, CA is a private, non-profit, four-year liberal arts college. The campus has a 9:1
student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 13. All students study a non-native language and do a semester of study abroad their junior year. Founded on the Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life, SUA offers
a non-sectarian curriculum and is open to students of all nationalities and beliefs.
